Inexperience Is An Asset. A Planted Journal.

[FishFanatic04]

Oh you lucky girl: having tanks all over the house now!
What about getting pencilfish as a shoaling fish instead of tetra's? They come from S. America as well....

OH. You see, this is why the forum is wonderful. In months of research and fish crazy talk, I have never heard of a pencilfish. I do worry about them in my high tech with the high lighting and angelfish. They are pretty though. lol I think every fish is pretty except for the larger goldfish.


I have been really looking at Gobies, but their food requirements made me nervous. How is it going with yours? Are they in the tank with catfish and angels?

 

[Biulu]

I understand your worries regarding the light, but if you have a heavily planted tank you should be fine. I don't know the nature of your angelfish, but mine are more interested in food and the hierarchy among themselves than anything else... They do not even get close to the other fish, with the exception of feeding time

My gobies are doing great! No problems with loaches or the other fish. In terms of food; they require a lot of live or frozen food which I cannot give them. I have found a very good alternative in the form of shrimp though. I buy small atlantic shrimp and put them through the blender. I then make small cubes out of them and freeze. All my fish are going crazy for it!

 

[FishFanatic04]

Oh awesome. I may do some serious research on Gobys then. DO you think they would be ok with bolivians? Maybe I could put a group in this tank.

I could always try out the pencilfish and see how it goes. in the S. American {biotope} I accidentally planted a few N. American Ludwigia plants in there for awhile.

 

[stu40]

Google Nannostomus Mortenthaleri.
I saw some in LFS and they were insanely red.Really wish i'd got them, but the price tag, and they're jumpers, put me off.

 

[FishFanatic04]

 

[FishFanatic04]

UH OH Guys. This is bad {and cool} My Bolivian Rams are looking a little randy this morning. The females breeder tube grew enormous {how embarrassing} I even see a little pit right in the front of the tank. The problem though is that the female is looking very stressed and the male was chasing her. After some terrible lip locking and darting about, I was freaked out.

I dropped in some bloodworm to distract them. Are bloodworms to Rams as Oysters are to Humans? Here's hoping. Theres no chance of raising the fry in this tank, too many other fishes. I just wanted to stress level to drop while I figure out what to do.

My qt tank is holding my betta, after changing the bettas filter and substrate there was a major nitrite spike...I tested today and it will be fine by tomorrow, I was dosing ammonia, so it's fully cycled again now.

I could move one of the Bolivians until I get another female. BUT, the new female would need to be QTed, so Im not really sure what kind of musical fish I need to be playing.



{Crazy freak out morning} If the rams were looking happier, I could leave them to it. I'm going to do a water change in a bit. Maybe that'll break them up too.

Just to add....I am pretty sure my assassin snails are it too. They are all cuddling in the sand. Second time I've seen this happen.

 

[minnnt]

Bloodworm is high in protein so will condition them for breeding. A cold water change will encourage the female to lay her eggs.

PS, i wish my missus liked oysters.

 

[FishFanatic04]

You think I should leave the Rams alone? I was planning a water change anyway, some plants are brushing the surface.

They just seemed so violent. My last bolivians were ready to breed but never did because they were all sick.

I'm scared!!



lol There ARE other aphrodisiacs, ya know. Unless you just like oysters and wish she did too... I always go to the dirty place.

 

[Alm0stAwesome]

chocolate!

ahem, fish.

Right, well, hope they get jiggy with it in a non-violent manner! Unless it is mutually consensual of course, I'm not one to judge.

 

[FishFanatic04]

NO NO NO NO NO

Stupid Texas Tap Water!!! MY tap water is coming out at 80 degrees. HOw the heck do I do a cold water change lol


Tolak suggested freezing some RO water, so I may get some and do that. I have a deep freezer so plenty of space. I can a bunch of little blocks.

 

[FishFanatic04]

OMg guys! The Bolivians are totally in Breeding mode! After the water change I must have messed up their spot, cause they have moved and are cleaning the wood. Here's some pictures. The female has definitely gotten super chunky since I got them.

The one of them together was blurry. I'm too excited. I'll get a video of them later.

 

[FishFanatic04]

 

[Staxx]

nice fish such beautiful colours!

 

[FishFanatic04]

IN the second pic you can see her fat belly. I am so happy! THey didn't even spawn lol


Anyone familiar with my fish keeping luck...I have only had sick sad fish. TO have happy ones that are even close to spawning is really a joy for me!

 

[Salam]

Oooh, babies soon

You want to swap with freezing cold UK water?